VCU RRTC



OCTOBER?13, 2016VCU WEBCASTServices Provided By: Caption First, Inc. >> GEORGE TILSON: Hello, George Tilson here. It's nice to be back with you again, along with Dr. Michael Ward, who is newly retired and looking ten years younger already. Mike presented a webcast on selfdetermination and employment about two years ago with Michael Wehmeyer. I really appreciate your being here, Mike. Our session today is on social capital, which is a concept that's been dissected, studied and written about since about 1900, if not before. It has been covered in a wide range of disciplines, including economics, education, history, medicine, sociology, human rights, and politics.Social capital seems to have had a resurgence in the literature lately, especially as our society has undergone significant shifts demographically and culturally and politically. It has become a hot topic with regards to people with disabilities and others who are striving for full participation and increased opportunities in the broader community. We thought it warranted its own VCURRTC webcast. Before we dive into our session, it's useful to note that over the past three years the VCU Center on Employment of People with Physical Disabilities has provided information, resources and research on best practices for helping folks achieve their desired career and life outcomes. To date the center has presented over 20 webcasts and conducted a number of studies that cover the waterfront on issues ranging from assistive technology and accommodations, to job search strategies, selfdetermination and selfadvocacy, to financial and benefits management and ways to live what Chris Coleman calls an unconfined and full life.Check out the webcast Chris did with Nancy BrooksLane in this series.All of this got Mike and me thinking about what it takes to implement these practices. How do we ensure that effective strategies are actually put into place for a person, and do people with physical and sensory disabilities use these techniques or tools to overcome obstacles and achieve their aspirations?>> MICHAEL WARD: In preparing our talk, we found a lot of crossover in many of the themes that have emerged in the field of disability research.Just to give you an idea, let's take a quick tour through these themes.Empowerment and autonomy. Selfdetermination and selfadvocacy. Inclusion. Natural supports. Informed choice. Personcentered planning approach. Selfefficacy and collective efficacy. Customized employment. Quality of life. Civil and human rights and personal responsibility. Accommodations, access and assistive technology.>> GEORGE TILSON: The list goes on. All of these concepts are embedded in this notion of social capital. In fact, we find it impossible to read about and reflect on social capital without encountering these other topics.There are many definitions of social capital in the literature, but we would like to start with a basic one that we have come up with. Social capital refers to all of the connections we have to other people, in every aspect of our lives, throughout our lifetime.Other words to describe these connections are relationships and networks, people who have a lot of social capital experience more opportunities, greater happiness, and achieve more of their desired outcomes than those who have very little social capital.We had the opportunity to interact with a number of people with disabilities about what social capital means to them, and how they have acquired it. A common theme was making themselves known to others, being the kind of person that others wanted to be around, and contributing to every relationship, whether friends, colleagues, neighbors, romantic partners, acquaintances, and other contacts in their communities.Neil Jacobsen is a former senior vicepresident of Wells Fargo Bank in charge of their information technology. He says and I quote: "My wife and I have been married for 33 years. We have a 29yearold son. I've always been very active in the disability movement. I have cerebral palsy. I use a powered wheelchair. I have a significant speech impairment, and I need ten hours a day of personal assistance services to help me with my activities of daily living. I know firsthand the importance of social capital."At Wells Fargo, my area was a highly skilled technical area. We did information technology for the bank. Often, when I attended meetings with people I didn't know, I observed their eyes grow wide, and their body grow tense as they looked at me, not knowing what to make of this odd looking guy in a wheelchair. I always took on the responsibility of making them feel at ease. I'd crack a joke about my New York accent, or engage them in chitchat. I knew that unless they felt comfortable with me, our work could not proceed."For people with physical disabilities who have speech that is difficult for others to understand, the challenge of building social capital is one that has to be overcome in creative ways, whether through the use of assistive technology, augmentative devices, personal assistants, social media and the Internet, and like Neil, with a healthy dose of good humor.Ed Bartz is the managing editor for the online CapAbility Magazine. He writes: Being a person born with a severe physical disability, communication has always been the most significant of all the obstacles I've faced. Since I was a youngster, my intellectual ability has always been questioned due to my oftenunintelligible verbal communication. Thankfully, through technology, various communication devices and lots of speech therapy, I am now quite skilled at communicating my thoughts, and more importantly, my witty and sarcastic ways.>> MICHAEL WARD: I agree with Ed and Neil. As a person with a speech impairment and a accent, I learned early on that I had to make myself understood, and I had to make other people understand me, whether they wanted to or not. They often had information that was critical to reaching my goals. And it was of the utmost importance that they communicate with me. This required my being assertive, determined, and persistent.>> GEORGE TILSON: Again that theme of selfdetermination is interwoven with social capital. Another theme is reciprocity. Or put another way, relationships are a twoway street. You have to put something in to every relationship you have.>> The biggest single thing I have done to increase my social capital is to put myself out there. I volunteer and take on tasks that I know I can do, but perhaps professionally I haven't had the opportunity. I try to fill a role that fits me and that I can be most successful in doing, whether that be professionally or even with friends and neighbors.I want to invest myself in whatever project is happening, somehow. I may not be able to build a deck or put up a fence, when it comes to neighbors or family, but if I can prepare food or bring drinks, set up music, or do some small thing to help be a part of a project, I will.>> GEORGE TILSON: Chris is a filmmaker who has his own business. He was featured in the webcast I facilitated called The Opportunity Game.When it comes to opportunities, Alexandra Dixon has devoted her life to being an active participant in many community causes. She says building social capital means you have to get out there, be there, show up.Here is a quote she wrote to me. Speaking of showing up and social capital, in college I did an internship. A few years later I volunteered for a political campaign. A few years after that, I attended an opening of a new women's shelter. Someone came up to me and asked, did you work on so and so's political campaign? I remember you. She asked if I would serve on a commission. It happened to be the statewide independent living council. Well, this changed the course of my life. Alexandra's quote is a great illustration of the fact that social capital is comprised of three different types of networks: Bonding, bridging and linking. These have been cited by a number of sources including the University of Minnesota's Extension Center for Community Vitality, and Michael Woolcock of the World Bank and Harvard University.>> MICHAEL WARD: Bonding networks are characterized by the close ties that help people get by on a daily basis. They are primarily homogeneous connections with family, friends and neighbors, who share similar beliefs and life circumstances. These are people we know well and with whom we share things in common. You might say we have an affinity with these people.>> GEORGE TILSON: Most of us are members of a bonding network which provides us with a sense of belonging and solidarity, like I have with Mike. Those who lack a bonding network may be extremely isolated and vulnerable. Homeless or elderly people, and many of those with disabilities, can find themselves without such support.In some cases, there can be a down side to bonding networks. For example, some groups become so insular that they may reject the perspectives of or even exclude those they see as outsiders. An example of this in our field might include organizations that serve people with disabilities in segregated facilities or programs that don't see communitybased, competitive employment as an option.Another example might be a group of people with particular political views who are disinclined to even consider the ideas of those with different political affiliations. In the most extreme cases of negative bonding networks, societies have to grapple with the phenomena of gangs and cults.>> MICHAEL WARD: But for most of us, bonding networks are an essential part of our lives.In fact, as Chaz Kellem tells us: >> My biggest piece of advice for building your social capital is to start where you are. Start with the people who are closest to you, and expand from there. Ask them to introduce you to people they know, and so on.>> GEORGE TILSON: A bridging network consists of connections with others who are outside one's bonding network, making it heterogeneous in nature. Typically, these are people we don't know well. The advantage of a bridging network is that it links us to external resources and gives us access to more opportunities than we might otherwise have. It's also an avenue for disseminating information. For example, a bridging network has very valuable, is valuable to someone looking for job contacts, ideas and leads or wants to gain new experiences.>> Before I started my own business, a statewide group I was volunteering with needed a new logo, website and video work done. I volunteered my time and energy to do those things, which led to an increased role in the group. That in turn led to more videos. The connections and time I put in there led directly to my first secured contract for video production for my business. One of the group's stakeholder agencies needed videos produced, and knew of the videos that I had done for the group. I maintain a working relationship? (no audiowebcast link says it is not active and to return later. I keep trying to connect.) >> I knew my boss before becoming her employee, because her husband is head of a committee, in which I sit as secretary. I also knew her son.>> GEORGE TILSON: Alexandra goes on to say the lines between professional connections and personal ones can be very blurry. Mike, you were telling me a story about a high school kid who wanted a job in a warehouse, but wasn't having much luck.>> MICHAEL WARD: A good friend lived next door to this young man. His dad was on a community volunteer committee with the manager of one of these big box stores. The friend's dad spoke to the manager about what a good worker Joe was and he was rehired. What's the difference between these two types of networks?Bonding social capital constitutes a kind of sociological super glue, whereas bridging social capital provides a sociological WD40, Robert Putnam says.>> GEORGE TILSON: It's the collective value that comes from the social networks or groups.>> MICHAEL WARD: Exactly.>> GEORGE TILSON: That make it possible for an individual to achieve things they couldn't on their own. The sociologist and physician Dr.?Nicholas Christakis says these networks offer benefits not just for us as individuals within a network but for the community as a whole. More concepts emerge from this, trust, reciprocity, altruism and generosity. Something you have heard me say, Mike, people do business with people they know, they like and they trust. The same holds true for people we hang out with socially.>> MICHAEL WARD: Frankly, to me, a big part of social capital has to do with how well you get along with other people.>> GEORGE TILSON: To quote Neil, social capital is the ability to be liked. It is by far the most important asset anyone has in both their professional and personal lives. All other assets and attributes can be acquired or compensated for if a person knows how to be liked, knows how to engage with people, and notion how to appear to be alive, engaging, excited about life, I know that all the technical stuff can be learned if the social capital is there. Conversely, without social capital, technical skills are often useless.Here is Alexandra again.>> I think I have a lot of social capital because of who I am naturally. I'm naturally an extrovert. I love talking to people and hearing their stories. I'm also very involved in my community. I learned that when you show up, people ask you to do things. When you do things, more people get to know you. It is sort of a snowball effect.>> Social capital has been so very important to my success in life. After I received my Bachelor's and Master's degree, it was very important to have a solid network around me. These are professional and personal networks. Some of them cross over. But what is most important is having quality people in my life, and being a quality person myself. You really have to be someone that others respect. That respect is like a magnet. It attracts people. Relationships are critical. It is not just who I know, but who knows me.>> GEORGE TILSON: Neil has a unique and practical bit of advice. He says when I first worked at Wells Fargo, my team members always went to a bar Friday afternoons. I hate the taste of liquor. I quickly learned the importance of joining them at the bar, that was where many decisions were made; my drink, rum and coke without rum. I've often said that one of my biggest handicaps working for a bank was my dislike for wine and sports. Many company dinners were preceded by hours of wine tasting. Many company meetings were held right before sports events. I attended every party, dinner and event that I could, and I enjoyed them too.>> MICHAEL WARD: Unlike bonding and bridging, which primarily involve person to person interactions, a linking network provides an individual with access to organizations and systems that help people obtain resources or create change. These can include foundations, nonprofit organizations, government agencies, and financial institutions.>> GEORGE TILSON: Although these groups are different from one another, their members find a mutually beneficial reason for working together. Let's consider transportation for example. Many people with physical disabilities have challenges getting from point A to point B. So do senior citizens, people who can't afford cars, communities that have limited or no public transportation. Linking networks allow like minded people to tackle shared problems.Here is a quote from Alexandra. I think part of the trick is to be open to possibilities. My friend says, unless I can give a really good reason not to, I say yes to opportunities that come my way. I try to follow his philosophy. I think something else that is super important is to follow through when you say you are going to do something. That is how you build trust, and people trusting you is what builds social capital.Alexandra was featured in The Opportunity Game webcast. She is a great model for how people can establish and use their linking networks, by actively engaging in important community causes, public meetings, and political events. She believes that people tend to trust leaders in these organizations when the leaders actively themselves listen to them, and follow through on promises.In linking networks, it is possible for people with differing levels of status and power to interact with people in leadership or positions of authority. An example of this could be a teenager who makes a case before a school board, for a new policy allowing students with poor grades to participate in sports, as a motivator for those students who do better in school, something like that.Another example might be a person with a disability who talks to the administrator of a housing agency and advocates for more residential options not only for others with disabilities, but those without disabilities who face difficulty securing affordable and safe housing. In their research Helliwell and Putnam found evidence confirming that social capital is strongly linked to subjective wellbeing through many independent channels, and in several different forms. Marriage and family, ties to friends and neighbors, workplace ties, civic engagement, both individually and collectively, trustworthiness, and trust all appear independently and robustly related to happiness and life satisfaction. So vibrant social networks are a vital part of a healthy community and individual wellbeing. Here is some food for thought. If you think of building economic capital, you are talking about monetary gain. The more money you have, the greater your economic capital. Something has to go into the bank. It's tangible. Is this the same idea for social capital? Several authors have argued that the word capital itself implies making a sacrifice. For example, one invests money today, thereby not spending it now, in order to have more money later. One goes to school now, rather than playing, in order to get a good job at a future date. In both examples, you are making a sacrifice of some sort.>> MICHAEL WARD: However, certain theorists believe that the opposite is true for social capital, that it can be acquired and used today, can grow exponentially, and is never depleted. We will that up to the theorists. But it's an interesting idea.>> GEORGE TILSON: It is. We do know that both economic and social capital can be studied because they can both be observed and measured. For example, we can ask the following research questions related to social capital. To what extent does an individual have entree or access to opportunities, let's say education, training and employment, what kinds of help and support does she or he request and receive? Are they getting the information they need? What about resources? Can they get to the places they want to go? Can they live where and how they want to live?Another term we hear often is, human capital, which refers to the assets of an individual, a person's intelligence, their knowledge, personality, resources they have.Some analysts speak of the emergence of groups outside the mainstream of society, such as people with disabilities, who have little chance of being included, because of the lack of human capital and the right sort of social capital. Again, more food for thought for most of us who want to expand our social capital, or help others expand theirs. At the most fundamental level, social capital is a framework for thinking about the networks of relationships among people in our communities.>> MICHAEL WARD: We came across literature that identified a correlation between the number of relationships and connections people have with a number of beneficial outcomes. These include better health and wellbeing. Greater access to diverse options and opportunities, expanded sense of hopefulness and optimism about the future, increased willingness to make tangible contributions to the community, and my favorite, stronger selfdetermination.>> GEORGE TILSON: Mike, here is something you have been discussing for a lot of years. Selfdetermination, it's certainly a powerful concept for all people, but certainly for those with disabilities. You have said selfdetermined individuals have the power to make decisions and have choices. They have a large measure of control over their lives. They have access to resources and supports they need. I would say it follows that a person's ability to live a selfdetermined life is compromised if they lack social capital.>> MICHAEL WARD: For most of us, social capital is initially transmitted to us at an early age by our parents and families. As with other forms of capital, think money, for example, the amount of initial social capital a child inherits from their family can differ significantly, from a tremendous amount, to almost none. Social capital is greatly influenced by one's bonding network.>> GEORGE TILSON: From that point on, people begin to acquire social capital by discovering their passions, being recognized for and finding avenues for expressing those passions within a community. As we encounter others who will encourage, support and guide us, our social capital expands. We begin to develop a sense of purpose and a positive view of the future. It is interesting to note that, Mike, this is the impetus behind the whole personcentered approach to helping people develop various life plans, related to education, and employment and independent living.Around the same time that Mike and I were putting together this presentation, I had the opportunity to work with an organization that was concerned about quality of life issues for people they served. The thought occurred to me that much of the literature I was reviewing on quality of life presented theories and concepts that dovetailed with those related to social capital.>> MICHAEL WARD: In 2000, Robert Schalock pointed out that researchers had identified more than 100 definitions of "quality of life."These emerged from studies that essentially asked the question: What determines the caliber of a person's life?In order to answer that question, researchers had to examine different life domains: Environmental, physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual.>> GEORGE TILSON: Right. They had to look at the events and circumstances of individual's lives in order to portray a complete or holistic picture of each person they observed. They acknowledged that quality of life is both objective, how others perceive a person, and subjective, how that person perceives him or herself. How satisfied or happy are they with their lives? Several researchers came to the conclusion that we can't accurately study quality of life without accurately taking into account the individual's point of view about what is most important to them. And that point of view will change over time, as the person goes through different life stages.This is true for all of us. Not only that, but quality of life depends on what part of your life you are looking at. One may be physically okay, but emotionally struggling, or have a great place to live, but no friends, or well educated, but unable to find a job. No wonder there is over a hundred definitions of quality of life.>> MICHAEL WARD: In his work, Dr.?Schalock categorized these into eight areas. 1, emotional wellbeing. 2, relationships. 3, material wellbeing. 4, personal development. 5, physical wellbeing. 6, selfdetermination. 7, social inclusion. And 8, rights.>> GEORGE TILSON: He concluded that people perceive they have a good quality of life when they have a couple of things. What they need to meet their basic needs, choices and opportunities to pursue their personal goals across multiple life domains. Connections to their community. Meaningful relationships where they are valued by others. Control and autonomy in their own lives. Opportunities for personal growth. A sense of purpose.>> MICHAEL WARD: The Centre for Health Promotion of the University of Toronto conducted a study in 1997 and made some unique observations.They defined quality of life as the degree to which a person enjoys the important possibilities of his or her life. They identified three aspects of quality of life: Being, belonging, and becoming. Being is the characteristics of the individual; belonging, aspects of how people fit with other people and places; becoming, aspects of daily activities that promote personal growth, development and adaptation to life.>> GEORGE TILSON: It seems to us that all of these characteristics of quality of life mirror those of social capital. They also describe the benefits of social capital.The National Organization on Disability has reported that many people with disabilities have a lower quality of life than those without disabilities. By the very nature of their disabilities, these individuals tend to have limited opportunities to form the kinds of relationships and connections that build social capital. I read somewhere, Mike, that the average person has around 150 connections, but if they have a disability, this number drops to 25.We went back to our experts, our friends who live with physical disabilities, to get some practical advice on how to raise the number of connections people can make.>> MICHAEL WARD: Look, you have to put real effort into it, real effort, to build a network and to create the valuable relationships needed to impact yourself personally and professionally.>> Always ask people if they can refer you to others. Introduce yourself to other people. You can do the same for them. It takes work, hard work to build a network. It is more than gathering a collection of names. It is building mutually beneficial relationships. It's about the results that come out of those relationships that matter.>> GEORGE TILSON: Sometimes social capital is what gets you the help you need. >> A couple of years ago we had a snowstorm that dumped 23?inches on us. I was stuck in the house for five days because my street had not been plowed. At the end of five days my patience wore out, and I called every politician I knew from my U.S. senators and congressmen to my state assembly folks to my board of supervisor people. You better believe I was plowed out in an hour and a half.>> GEORGE TILSON: Neil said social capital is critically important in my home life. Working with attendants is always easier and more pleasant when social capital exists. Both parties are responsible to create a good rapport with each other and to enjoy each other's company.>> MICHAEL WARD: For me having access to technology and social media has enhanced my social capital.>> GEORGE TILSON: Fred Hobbs is director of public relations for Imagine in Colorado. He is a big proponent of helping people with a wide range of disabilities to gain safe access to social media. One of the things he says, we can no longer ignore the incredible opportunities for community engagement that social media can bring, and ways that they can increase social capital.Fred brings up a great point, social media allows for a person with a disability to decide when, how and if they want to disclose their disability. It allows them to find others who share common interests, in sports, music and any of thousands of areas where their disability is essentially irrelevant.For those grappling with specific issues, social media provides mechanisms for joining into small select groups, to share stories and ideas, or information about resources, in a secure environment.And let's not forget the importance of social media in identifying job contacts, ideas and leads, or for the entrepreneur, marketing and selling products and services.Doctor uses social media to rally support for various community causes.>> I spend a lot of time on Facebook introducing people who have common interests. Oh, you're interested in social justice issues? Let me introduce you to so and so. It's a great way to mobilize people, and expand your social capital at the same time. For example, there was a incident where several churches in our community were burned. A friend and I did a fundraiser. In the space of six weeks or so we pulled together an event that had 300 people there and we raised?$6,000.>> MICHAEL WARD: Maybe this is too obvious, but I also think it's important to tell people how much you appreciate the assistance they give you.>> I attend frequent events to get my name out there, and for people to get to know my abilities. I want to contribute my time, talents, and resources to my community. It's important to use every way you can think of to communicate with others, whether it's sending them a handwritten note, Email, social media. Be sure to thank people for their time, and for including you in various events. I also evaluate my social capital on a frequent basis with hopes of filling in the gaps.>> GEORGE TILSON: We also heard loud and clear from Chris, how just doing good things for others is a way of showing appreciation, and for contributing to the group, which in turn builds social capital. He told us that in his video production business, most of his clients are through connections he's made through various volunteer activities or through referrals.He finds that living independently comes with some household tasks that are beyond his abilities. Friends, family and neighbors will often lend a hand on a project he needs help completing, and he in turn will cook dinner as a thank you.Without his network, household repairs would either go undone, or put a financial strain on his life.>> In my "lost years" when I wasn't sure of what I was going to do for a career path, or about finishing school, a friend made it a point to get me involved in volunteering in young professional groups. Back then networking and building relationships seemed so foreign, but now it seems much easier, when I know where I'm going and what I'm looking for. My main focus now is to reach out to the community and is to build others' social capital.>> GEORGE TILSON: Neil had a interesting perspective on teamwork, that relates to social capital. He said, when I interview candidates for the bank or to be attendants or whatever, I focus on their personality. Can we get along? Can my team work with them 8 plus hours a day? Are they excited about being there? Are they excited about being alive? Are they engaged in the conversation? I know that all the technical stuff can be learned, if the social capital is there. Conversely, without social capital, technical skills are often useless.>> MICHAEL WARD: For me it is so important to know people from all kinds of backgrounds, people that typically might not be in your immediate circle.>> I think that part of the reason I have such a wide social network is that I have people from all kinds of different walks of life. I have theater folks, I have healthcare folks, I know teacher folks, I know the head of very important organization, here in Virginia, I know people working on immigration justice issues, reproductive justice issues, environmental issues. I have ministers not only from the UU tradition, but also from the Episcopal tradition and UCC, and Baptist. I often say, if I don't know someone who can directly solve this issue, maybe I know somebody who knows somebody.>> GEORGE TILSON: Alexandra also encourages us to be mindful of the fact that some of us, because of our backgrounds, have more advantages than others do, and certainly influences social capital.>> I'm thinking about intersecting identities and how that may limit the amount of social capital one is able to access. For example, being a person of color and disabled might mean that access to social capital is different than it is for me, a white Latina. When it comes to education because social capital is about how we resource our schools and those who don't have a lot of social capital may not be able to get the resources they need to have good schools, this further perpetuates systemic inequality.>> MICHAEL WARD: From my perspective, this is why it's really important for those of us who have advantages and opportunities, to contribute to others who don't.>> GEORGE TILSON: I absolutely agree with that. In summary, the topic of social capital is wide in scope. Our presentation skimmed the surface, but hopefully in a way that hit the key points, and gave you a lot of food for thought, and peeked your interest enough to dive into your own search for information and ideas.Mike and I concur with Al Condeluci who believes that social capital is available to all of us and makes our lives better. Perhaps unlike financial capital, social capital expands the more it is shared. Economists can probably argue with us on that. But come to think of it, both economic and social capital rely on putting something in, investing capital, and hopefully getting a return on that investment.>> MICHAEL WARD: From our look into the literature and discussions with several selfadvocates, we conclude that people with high levels of social capital have: >> GEORGE TILSON: Resources, ability to leverage those resources, autonomy, influence and control, you mentioned earlier natural supports, a desire and ability to advocate for others, emotional satisfaction in their lifestyle, options and choices and ability to ask for and make referrals and recommendations. They have a motivation and means to attend events. They have the willingness to contribute their time, talents and energy and other resources to the community. They can evaluate where the holes are in their network and strive to fill the holes. They have access to social media, and connections to ongoing education and training. They have the ability to get to places they want to get to.And they have the ability to communicate, with and out accommodations or AT, to express what they want and need, obtain information, and identify problems and solutions, and manage conflicts.>> MICHAEL WARD: They also have the desire to bring people together for common impact, a strong sense of selfefficacy, a belief in the power of collective action, an understanding of their desire and willingness to ask for specific help, a desire to reciprocate and help others in any way they can, a spirit of adventure, the willingness to put themselves out there, strategic alliances, a personality that draws people to them, and access to information, opportunities for skillbuilding.>> GEORGE TILSON: Because of this, the way my mind works, Mike, I summarized the components of social capital by using?>> MICHAEL WARD: Scary.>> GEORGE TILSON: Scary indeed, by using the words that start with a capital C.Try this out here. Community. Communication. Connection. Contacts. Commitment. Collective. Contribution. Choice. Control. Create. Change. Capacity. Circle. Coordination. Confident.For fun, here they are in a sentence. Higher levels of social capital lead to a better quality of life for a community and its individual members. A collective commitment to coordinate and use communication strategies in a way that connects people to various communities, so they can build their network or circle of contacts to access opportunities, to choose what they want in their lives, what they want their lives to look like, exercise control over their destinies and contribute their talents in a way that changes perceptions and creates a greater capacity for those communities to cultivate people who feel competent, confident and comfortable.Three words that describe selfdetermination. Thanks for joining us today.>> MICHAEL WARD: And after this webcast, let us know your thoughts about social capital. Thank you again.>> GEORGE TILSON: Thanks, Mike.>> MICHAEL WARD: Thanks, George. ................
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